You are planning to visit a friend who lives in another city. Write a letter to your friend. In your letter:
- tell them about your visit
- ask if it is convenient for you to stay with them
- suggest some activities you could do together
📌 Note: This question appeared in the CBT-IELTS Writing exam on 22 November, 2025 in Canada.
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Band 9 Sample Answer:
Dear Rohan,
I hope you’re doing well. I’m writing to let you know that I’m finally planning a trip to Bangalore next month, and I’d love to catch up with you while I’m there. It’s been ages since we last met, so I’m really looking forward to spending some time together.
I’ll be arriving on the 12th and staying for four days. Would it be convenient for me to stay at your place during that time? I remember you mentioning that your guest room is usually free, but please don’t hesitate to tell me if the dates aren’t suitable. I can easily book a hotel nearby if that works better for you.
Since I haven’t explored Bangalore properly, I thought it would be fun if we could visit a few of your favourite spots together. Maybe we could try that new café you told me about, or even go for a short trek over the weekend if you’re up for it. Honestly, I’m happy to do anything as long as we get to spend some time together.
Let me know if the dates are okay and if there’s anything you’d like me to bring from here.
See you soon,
Arjun
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Band 9 Insights Based on IELTS Writing Band Descriptors:
1. Task Achievement – Band 9
-
All three bullet points are fully addressed:
✔ telling about the visit
✔ asking if staying is convenient
✔ suggesting activities - Purpose is clear from the first paragraph.
- Tone is friendly, warm, and appropriately informal.
2. Coherence & Cohesion – Band 9
- Follows same paragraph structure as the demo letter.
- Each paragraph covers one idea, making it easy to follow.
-
Natural cohesion through conversational linking:
“I’ll be arriving…”, “Since I haven’t explored…”, “Honestly…” - Flow and progression feel natural, not mechanical.
3. Lexical Resource – Band 9
-
Strong informal vocabulary and natural expressions:
“catch up,” “it’s been ages,” “don’t hesitate,” “up for it,” “favourite spots,” “guest room is usually free.” - Avoids slang but maintains a warm, friendly tone.
- Collocations used correctly: “plan a trip,” “spend some time,” “visit a few spots,” “let me know.”
4. Grammatical Range & Accuracy – Band 9
-
Uses contractions appropriate for informal writing:
“I’m,” “it’s,” “don’t,” “I’ll.” - Complex sentences used naturally and accurately.
- No grammar or punctuation errors anywhere.
Overall Band: 9.0
- Perfect task fulfilment
- Authentic informal tone
- Rich vocabulary without forcing complexity
- Natural cohesion and excellent grammar
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